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(Model.)

G. B. MASSEY.

POSTAGE 0E REVENUE STAMP.

No. 250,376. Patented Dec. 6,1881.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

GIDEON B. MASSEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO FRANCIS E. NORRIS, OF SAME PLAGE.

POSTAGE OR REVENUE STAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,376, dated December 6, 1881.

Application filed March 15, 188].

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GIDEON B. MASSEY, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Postage or Revenue Stamp, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of forming the stamps of two superposed sheets of paper, the outside sheet being perforated or cut out to form one io or more holes through it near the center of each stamp, the same to be secured to the bottom sheet by some adhesive substance applied to the bottom sheet or to the outside sheet in such manner as to leave the central portion of the perforated or outside sheet free to be torn or mutilated for canceling the stamps.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of my invention, with a portion of the outside or perforated sheet removed to zo show the preferred manner of applying the adhesive material, also showing the appearance of the stamps before and after printing, and also before and after cancellation or mutilation of the stamps; and Fig. 2 is an edge view of 2 5 one of the sheets or blanks after being prlnted.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. I

The bottom sheet, A, which is preferably of strong paper-such as is ordinarily used for 3o postage-stampsis first coated with mucilage, or, preferably, some adhesive substance which is practically insoluble iu water or unaffected by moisture or heat, in the manner shown at a', so as to leave the uncovered spots a, which coating may be done by passing the sheets under a roller having suitable depressions formed in it or by the use of a stencil-like device and brush. The outside sheet, B, which is preferably of tissue-paper, is first perforated with the small 4o holes or cut-away places b by means of a suitable punch or cutting-roller, or otherwise, and is then placed upon the bottom sheet, A, in such manner that the central or perforated portions of each stamp will come over the spots 4 5 a, which are not coated with the adhesive substance. The two sheets thus secured together are ready to be printed or stamped upon the outside sheet with any design, coloring, or printing, which may cover the whole surface 5o or any portion thereof, as shown at c.

(Model.)

It is obvious, the outside sheet being perforated, that a portion of the ink or coloring material used in printing the stamps will 'be upon the inside sheet, as shown at c', and that the two sheets are thus necessary to make the design, coloring, or printing complete.

The stamps may be canceled in the ordinary way by the drawing of a pen across the face or by the use of any hand-stamp, as shown at d d; orthe tissue-paper may be simply torn or mu- 6o tilated by passing any small instrument-like, for instance, the point of a pen-in the perforations in the outside sheet and tearing the same apart, as shown at e.

Though I have described and shown the perforations at or near the center of the stamps and the outside sheet of each stamp fastened to the bottom sheet at and around the edges of the stamp, it is obvious that this order might be changed-as, for instance, a row of 7o perforations might be made near the edges of thestamp and the adhesive material applied so as to secure the outside sheet at the edges and in the center ofthe stamp-and that various other changes in this respect might be made and not depart from the spirit of my invention.

It is also obvious that the entire surface of the bottom sheet might be coated with the adhesive material, and thus secure the perfo- 8o rated sheet at all points; but in such case it would be much easier to remove the cancellation of the stamp than when the perforated sheet is not entirely secured to the bottom sheet, as then it is impossible to remove the cancellation without destroying the outside paper.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- In postage and revenue stamps, a main sheety 9o having paste or other cohesive at a and un coated spots a, in combination with a perforated outside sheet, B, having its perforated sections over the uncoated spots a, as and for the purpose specified.

GIDEON B. MASSEY.

Witnesses C. SEDGwIcK, H. A. WEST. 

